Gothberg a veteran at development camp

WILMINGTON — He's only 21 years old, and still has two more years of college ahead.

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By MIKE LOFTUS

southcoasttoday.com

By MIKE LOFTUS

Posted Jul. 12, 2014 at 12:01 AM

By MIKE LOFTUS
Posted Jul. 12, 2014 at 12:01 AM

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WILMINGTON — He's only 21 years old, and still has two more years of college ahead.

But this week, Zane Gothberg is a grizzled veteran.

He's not the oldest player in the Bruins Development Camp. That distinction belongs to Oleg Yevenko, Gothberg's former teammate with the United States Hockey League's Fargo (North Dakota) Force, now a 23-year-old senior-to-be at UMass Amherst. A couple of 22-year-olds are in camp, as well.

Nobody has been to Development Camp more than Gothberg, though. Drafted just after graduation from Thief River Falls High School in Minnesota in 2010, he's here for the fifth time.

"It's pretty comfortable by now," Gothberg said Thursday at Ristuccia Arena, where he and 2012 first-round draftee Malcolm Subban — at 20, already a veteran of one pro season — are the only goalies in camp. "Coming in here, you feel like you're part of the organization. You get to know some of the other players, the equipment guys, the people in the front office."

Meanwhile, the organization has learned much more about the 177-pound kid they drafted in the sixth round (No. 165 overall) in 2010 — who has grown to 6 feet, 2 inches and 204 pounds.

Actually, lots more people have become familiar with Gothberg. He led the University of North Dakota to the NCAA Frozen Four this past season, posting a 20-10-3 record and 1.99 goals-against average in his first season as a full-time starter.

"Since I got drafted, it's been one step at a time — or more like one year at a time," Gothberg said. "It's been a roller coaster."

Gothberg has bounced between starter and backup since graduation from high school. He played 23 games as Fargo's No. 2 goalie in 2010-11, then doubled that total in 2011-12. He made 17 appearances as a North Dakota freshman in 2012-13, and pretty much doubled his playing time again this past season.

"Mentally, having to go through the rigors and battles of being a back-up, then a starter, has been a challenge," he said. "I've learned to balance my emotions, balance my daily routines, my commitment level. That's all definitely gone in the right direction, I think."

Gothberg's emergence potentially crowds and complicates the Bruins' organizational depth in the crease, which was somewhat thin when he was drafted: Tim Thomas and then-rookie Tuukka Rask had divided the 2000-10 season, while journeyman Dany Sabourin was the No. 1 netminder at AHL Providence.

Thomas left after 2011-12. Rask just won the Vezina Trophy in the first year of an eight-year, $56 million contract. After two strong seasons at Providence, Niklas Svedberg is expected to back up Rask in the coming season, with Subban in line to be No. 1 in the AHL. (Journeymen Adam Morrison and Jeremy Smith are also under contract.)

"Zane kind of had a real break-out year, and now all of a sudden (goaltending) is an area of strength in terms of depth for young guys," said Providence B's coach Bruce Cassidy. "If (Gothberg) has another year like last year, then wow — you've got a lot of pretty good young goaltenders under your roof."

It has taken a while for Gothberg to become part of the Bruins' goaltending conversation, and he's eager to be a larger part of it.

"I kind of knew when I was drafted, and I think the front office did as well, that it was going to take a while for me to develop and fully mature before I was ready to turn pro," he said.

"Now, it's finally getting there. From talks I've had with (the front office) here, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It'll shortly be here."

Cassidy, who interviewed for the assistant's vacancy created by Geoff Ward's departure from Claude Julien's staff, said, "I want to be in the NHL every year — simple as I can say." While the B's interview other candidates, Cassidy considers himself a coach in Providence, where he has spent the last three years as head coach after three as an assistant. "That's where I am now," he said. "Whatever happens down the road with the vacancy here will happen, but I'm always preparing for Providence." "¦ Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (third round, 2012) was absent from camp on Thursday because he's taking a class at Boston University "¦ Development Camp closes with practices scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday.